Shingler s hatchet



Feb. 21. 1956 LE ROY H. ALI-'ORD SHINGLER'S HATCHET 4. Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV. 16, 1953 Wm WM Vl H /Y r 5 M494 HQFORD ADM?! /47 7- 77:7 E we Feb 21- 1956 LE ROY H. ALFoRD 2,735,097

SHINGLER'S HATCHET Filed Nov. 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 z3 Z4 @i Feb. 21. 1956 Filed Nov. 16, 1953 Er/Z LE ROY H. ALFORD SHINGLERS HATCHET 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /47 TTD/FNEW United States Patent SHINGLERS HATCHET Le Roy Henry Alford, deceased, late of Milwaukie, Greg., "by Grace Hilda Alford, administratrix, Milwaukie, Oreg.

Application November 16, 1953, Serial No. 392,364

3 Claims. (Cl. 1-45.)

This invention relates Lgenerally to nail driving machines and .particularly to a shinglers hatchet having a nail feeder incorporated therein.

The main object is kto produce a hatchet which lis vespecially adapted for shingling purposes.

The second object is to so construct the hatchet that the user does not touch the nails as they are automatically fed to the driving head.

The third object is to so construct the feed mechanism Ythat it will function perfectly under all conditions.

The fourth object is to overcome the shinglers objection Ito `the use of coated nails and dipped shingles, as 'thenails are not held in the mouth of the shingler.

These results are accomplished in the manner set forth in the following .specification as illustrated in `the .accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the -line 3-3 in Fig. .1, showing the top cover plate touching the nail heads and the trigger 'is in a ftill line position `shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 except showing the cover :linger 41 raised to release the nails when the trigger is moved toward the dotted position shown .in Fig. '1, thus permitting the nails to slide toward the front end with the device held nose down as indicated in Fig. ll.

Fig. '5 is an elevation of the device looking at the side opposite the one shown in Fig. 1, also s'howing a nail partially driven or started in'to the shingle.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the 'line '6-46 invFig. 5.

Fig. 7 .is a section 'taken along the line `7`7 in Fig. '5.

Fig. '8 is similar to Fig. 7 butshowing Vhow the device is 'released 'from a partially driven nail.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view ofthe coverp'la'te as viewed4 from below.

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the nail feed mechanism and a fragment of the side plate.

Pig. 11 is a diagram showing the device in dotted ,lines and nails in full line. This ligure corresponds to the diagram in Fig. 14, which indicates lthat the device must be 'tilted to cause the nails to slide under `control 'of the lingers A and B.

Fig. 12 is a Afragmentary section taken along the line 12-12 in Fig. 3 and shows the relation ofthe parts 'just after the device has been released from aepartially'driven nail, as indicated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 13 is similar to Fig. l2 out showing the slide illustrated in Fig. 'l0 partially pulled back and the restraining :or separatingfmger beginning to enter the space between `the irsttwo nails. t

Fig. 14 is similar to Fig. 13 but showing the slide fully retracted and releasing point or finger moved outwardly, permitting the nail to pass and, as shown in Fig. 4, the cover plate is up at this time.

Fig. l5 is similar to Fig. 14 but showing a nail clamped in a driving position while the reserve nails are moved up one space. This corresponds to Fig. l.

2,735,097 Patented F eb, 2.1, .19.756

lCC

Fig. 16 is a section :taken along the line 16-16 in Fig. 5 to show a tunnel through the hatchet to permit the nail .to pass.

Like numbers of reference refer to the same or similar parts .throughout the several views.

Refer-ring in detail to the drawings `therjegis shown in Fig. 'l a blade 20 of asliinglershatchet .having the usual cutting edge 2,1 and a roughened nail driving head ,22 lat .the opposite end thereof. 'The -blade .20 has formed .therein a'series of holes 23 into which may be inserted the stop plugs 24 for gauging the weather side of the shingle 25 which is laid on the sheathingV of Athe roof boards 26.

On one edge of the hatehet is .formed a Shank .27 which 'has formed on the forward side 'thereof .a roughened surface 28 `for starting .a nail 2.9 preparatory to .driving it into the shingle 25 by means of the head "22.

The frame of the device is comprised of a U-shaped channel whose .side plates '30 and v31 are united at the beve'lled forward end 32 by a strap '33 and at the rearward end 34 by a strap '35. vThe .space between vthe straps 33 and 35 constitutes an elongated slot. A handle 36 'is rigidly secured to the sideplates 30 and 31 and normal to the length of the side plates and disposed near their rearmost ends and 'in vthe same plane .as are the side plates 30 `and 31. i

The side plate 30 .has formed on ,the outer side of the end 32 a guide 37 in which isvmoun'ted a Vslide '38 which 'is urged 'backward :by 'the .spring 39 which is anchored tothe pin 40. On the slide38 is secured a `nail holding Vwhich is turned :laterally over the slot 4215etween 'the side 'plates 30 and 131. The .finger 41 thas a nail -groove 43 formed therein which lreceives the 'endmost .nail 29 and holds it ready for starting into vthe shingle 25. The side 1plate "3'1 :has secured `thereon a guide 45 between which 'and the flanged edge 46 of the side plate '31 is slidably mounted the slide 47 which is provided with a -downturned trigger `arm 48 which -ter- -minates in ya trigger 49 which extends beyondt'he 'edge 50 Aof the side plates 30 'and '31 between lthe straps ,133 vand '35. A tens'ion lspring 51 'is -secured 'between lthe Atrigger arm 48 `andthe anchor pin 52 ywhich Ais mounted on the 'forward end o'f the side plate '3:1.

l'Oh the re'armost end of the slide 47 is formed the :upturned `cover raising Ycam l'53. "Near the middle 'of *the length of 'the slide 47 is 'a nail separating -fcam 54. "Between the Acam 154 yand `the slide end -55 eis fa :nail Jreleasing cam 56. A 'lug S7 vextends ldownwardly from the slide end 55 and 'rides v'on' the -cam v-58 Jformed on -the *forward end of :the lguide 45. JIt vdoes'lthis when the slide 47 is `drawn backwardly 4@by the 'triggerl 'Projecting forwardly and laterally vfrom the end' :'55 is ya lnail feeding Stinger f59fin which lis formed a 'inail groove 60. The foremost end of vIthe -sitle plate 31 -is -cut away lto form au inclined -s'lot 651 which 'cu'ts een 'tirely through -the `side plate "31 'and permits vthe feeding finger 59 to move within lth'e slot L42 when :the r-t-ii'gger 49 is in a, foremost position. K 'Y l Ont-he `guide 41E-'is aistop lugf62wliich`liiiits the'forward movement of 'the -tr'igger arm :48. .Also -fformed :on rthe 'guide 45 )is a stop S63 which limits dhe backward inlove; menteof 'the slide l47 byengagement 4Awiththe 'lug 57. 'Near the rear end of the side plate 31 and spaced 'ffromdhe-llange 46 is a lug 64. A bolt`65 extends through the lugr164 and -ilange 416'. V4Pivotedfon the 4'bcSlt-65 -is `the nail separating arm 66 having a point 67 formed at its opposite end, which point is normally held out of the slot 42 by the cam 54 against which rides the lug 68 formed on the arm 66. A at spring 69 is mounted on the post 70 on the side plate 31 and this spring is held in place by a screw 71 which extends into the post 70. The spring 69 urged the lug 68 against the cam 54.

Also pivoted on the bolt 65 is a nail releasing arm 72 on whose forward end is formed a nail releasing point 73 and a cam lug 74 which engages the fiat spring 75 which is secured on the post 7.6 by a screw 77. t

' There is also provided a pair of bayonetprongsTS on the rear end of the device for attachment of a magazine, which forms no part of the present invention and will not be explained herein.

On the flange 79 is'formed a cover plate 80, one side of which is joined by the spring hinges 81 to the flange 79 and the other side having a depending shoe 82 which rides 'on the cover raising cam 53 when the slide 47 is drawn backwardly. The under side of the cover plate 80 has 'formed thereon a rib 83 which is thicker at the rearmost end. The purpose of this construction is to prevent the nails from being thrown out in handling or in actual use. The purpose of making the rib 83 thicker at the rearmcst end is because it will insure the holding of the rearmost 4nail 29D.V Obviously a rubber strip or serrated member could be used in place of the rib 83.

For the purpose of explaining the operation, the nail position has been referred to as 29 when in position ready vfor starting the drive, whereas the iirst nail in the magazine Vis referred to as 29A, the second nail as 29B and all of the following nails 29C except the last nail which is 29D.

The operation of the device is as follows: Let it be assumed that the nails 29A to 29D have been placed in the tunnel or slot 42 and the trigger 49 pulled back as shown in dotted lines inV Fig. l. This corresponds to the position shown in Fig. 14, in which the point 67 is forced between the tirst two nails 29A and 29B and the first nail 29A is permitted to escape into the inclined slot 42 where it moves by -gravity against the nail holding finger 41 where it now becomes nail 29. As the trigger 49 is released, as shown in Fig. l5, the nail feeding finger 59 moves'forwardly and inwardly intoV slot 42, holding the nail 29 lrmly against the finger 41.

The user of the implement now strikes a blow with the head of the nail 29 against the roughened surface 28 (Fig. 5), causing the nail to be started through the singles 25 into the roof board 26. The operator then exerts a slight backward pull on the device, causing the nail holding finger 41 to be withdrawn as shown in Fig. 8 and to be released from the nail by a lateral movement of the device. The free hatchet isthen broughtdown a second time, this time with the head 22 engaging the nail 29 which is surely driven home by a single blow. The following movements are all in orderly sequence; that is, the nails move through to the position shown in Fig. l2 where the point 73 stops theendmost nail and later the endmost nail 29A is separated from the group as shown in Fig. 14 from whence it passes to the driving position as shown in Fig. l5.

As previously stated, the purpose of the hinged cover plate 80 is to hold the nails 29A to 29D within the slot 42 during the nailing operation and permitting their'movement along the nail race formed by the side plates 30 and 31 onlywhen a nail is being fed to a driving position.

. The linger 59 is referred to as a feeding finger. In its true sense it might be regarded as a nail stabilizing linger as the actual feeding to the nailing point is done by gravity as stated. i

It will be understood that the only purpose of the sloping bottom slot 61 is to cause the nger 59 to move into the passageway 42 Ain order to clamp the nail 29 and then to move out of the way when the trigger and slide 47 are pulled rearwardly. i i Y I claim:

l.. A hammer having a driving head formed thereon, a

nail feeder attached to said head and forming an elongatedl slot constituting a nail raceway, the nail raceway terminating at its forward end under the driving head, a nail holding linger mounted on the feeder and extending retractably across the forward end of said raceway for releasably holding a nail in position under the driving head, the nails being suspended by their heads through said slot, a trigger movable on the nail feeder, nail dispensing means operable by the trigger for dispensing nails individually toward the nail holding linger, a cover plate mounted retractably on the nail feeder and normally engaging the heads of nails in the raceway to prevent displacement of the nails during operation of the hammer, and means operable by the trigger for raising the cover plate out of contact with the nail heads when the dispensing means is dispensing a nail to the nail holding finger.

2. A hammer comprising a pair of spaced side plates forming a raceway for nails, the heads of said nails being suspended by said plates, a cover plate hinged to a side plate and having means for normally engaging the heads of the nails suspended between said side plates to prevent'displacement of the nails during operation of the hammer, a trigger operated slide mounted movably on one of ,said side plates, said slide having nail separating and nail releasing cams formed thereon, a nail separating arm hinged to one of said side plates and having a point thereon retractably intersecting said raceway and actuated by said separating cam, a nail releasing arm also hinged on one of said side plates and having a nail releasing finger normally obstructing said raceway in front of said separating finger, said separating and releasing fingers being operated in alternate succession, a nail stabilizing finger on said slide for retractable insertion into said raceway in front of the releasing finger, and cam means on the slide and cover plate for raising the cover plate out of contact with the nails when the slide is moved to retract the nail releasing linger and nail stabilizing finger.

3. A hammer comprising a body forming a nail raceway, releasable nail holding means at the forward end of the raceway, a driving head mounted on the body and positioned adjacent the nail holding means for engaging the head of a nail to be driven, nail releasing finger means mounted movably on the body for removable entrance with the raceway, nail separating finger means mounted movably on the body for removable entrance into the raceway a distance of one nail rearwardly of the nail releasing linger means, nail stabilizing means mounted movably on the body for removable entrance into the raceway adjacent the nail holding means for releasably securing a nail therebetween, a cover plate hinged to the body and positioned above the raceway for releasable engagement with the heads of nails contained in the raceway, whereby to prevent displacement of the nails during operation of the hammer, and actuator means mounted movably on the body and engaging the nail releasing, separating and stabilizing means and cover plate, the actuator means being arranged, in one direction of movement, to retract from the raceway the nail releasing finger means and nail stabilizing means and to project into the raceway the nail separating finger means and to move thecover plate out of engagement with the nail heads, `and in the opposite direction of movement to reverse said actions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent 1 UNITI-3DV STATES PATENTSl L 1,609,592 Williams Dec. 7,- 1926 2,630,567

Alford ....v.. Mar. l0, 1953 Y 

